Medicare: Check
Social Security: Check
Today, on her exact birthday Lilly got to choose a restaurant for lunch. Then tomorrow in the morning Rome will have her birthday party with her friends, and in the afternoon Lilly will have her birthday party with her friends and then on this coming Saturday Rome gets to choose her restaurant for lunch.
It’s a Birthday Party BONANZA!
September 13, Home Sweet Home!
Wow, what an amazing six weeks. I am of course delighted to be home, all safe and sound and looking forward to whatever comes next.
In case you missed anything:
Republic of Ireland (Dublin, Killarney)
Northern Ireland (mostly Belfast)
Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rothesay) and Wales (Caernarfon, Conwy, Cardiff)
England (London, Salisbury, Stratford-Upon-Avon)
September 1
Starting the London leg of this trip, let’s review what we’ve seen so far:
Republic of Ireland (Dublin, Killarney)
Northern Ireland (mostly Belfast)
Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rothesay) and Wales (Caernarfon, Conwy, Cardiff)
England (London, Salisbury, Stratford-Upon-Avon)
The girls had put together a whole lego village and Rome was having fun taking pictures with my phone. Lilly played too of course.
An outing with Muriel. No pictures of my last beach walk with Sharon, of Windy while we worked on our trip, dinner with B&b, and what all else. No picture=no memory.
I found I did take this picture of the exotic Thai spa where I cashed in my Mother’s Day gift certificate from CM&K. AHHH!
July 31
Some of what Cynthia, Mike, and Kieran have been up to.
Happy Birthday Kieran! And then Kieran spent two weeks with his uncle in North Dakota. Look what happened on Day 1.
c/m
July 30
Today’s adventure at a shopping arcade in Manhattan Beach and three girls from Rome’s school, all four of them entering 2nd grade, were there too, and joined us in a few rousing games of Hang Man.
Lilly would get out of the water just long enough to run over and announce her letter for the game (most often the letter L) and then rush back to the perfect pool for practicing your face-in-the-water bubble-blowing.
My Tuesdays are just not going to be the same for many long weeks!
Nancy and I came up here for a bon voyage lunch – thanks Nancy. It’s so wonderful to know that anytime (just don’t be getting the urge on a Monday) we can buzz on up to see and experience amazing work both familiar and new.
We sat through the whole 18 minutes of Werner Herzog’s new piece ‘Hearsay of the Soul’. I liked it.
…and Walking Flower’s neighbor Alexander Calder’s The Jousters that I’m equally nuts for. Just the thought of this little corner of the Getty Center makes me smile.
Yesterday Windy and I went to a new Korean Spa, new to us anyway.
We had previously used the baby bear spa Daengki, which was small and homey and entirely Korean, but we thought to go a little more upscale/Western-ish one when we brought our older sister so we started frequenting Olympic which has good facilities but also too high a percentage of chatty white girls, so this time we might have hit it just right – Hankook.
We’ll have to go a few more times just to make sure….
July 26
Merlyn and I went in search of the dish we ate in the Dominican Republic and in Cuba that was a part of my most memorable meals. SO good. (I must mention also the goat stews that were AWEsome.)
Mofongo’s mother land is Puerto Rico and I found a Puerto Rican restaurant in North Hollywood that specializes in mofongo. But No! Different! They make it with fried plantains!
The plantains should be boiled as they are in the Dominican (where, I recently learned, the dish is called mangu) and in Cuba. I don’t remember now what they called it in Cuba – the internet thinks it’s fufu. But the plantains need to be boiled!
On the left: Puerto Rico. On the right: Dominican Republic. Below: how I remember it looked and ooow sooo goood.
Lynn and I had a nice beach walk and a bon voyage visit. They are off to Australia for three weeks on the 11th which is very exciting.
Those nasty growths on my head are still bothering me (a lot). I pressed the dermatologist to tell me what was going on before he started digging around in there again, but he didn’t like that At All, and we broke up. Now I have to find another dermatologist and get an appointment quick like a bunny before I leave.
That’s Lill there on the right. She took this picture of the three guys but she really wanted to be in it. So I put her there!
July 24
My dinos on the Promenade! Oh no they have a serious skin disorder. I really hope they get to feeling better very soon.
Busy day today – first a 12,000 step walk with Sharon and a nice lunch and a little shopping that did not end in any purchases.
Then since I was going to see IngaLill and Tony for dinner I stopped by first for a visit with JoAnn and David. Too much fun!
July 23
The girls playing ‘Punch Buggy’.
They don’t remember how or from whom they learned this game. When you see a VW Bug you punch your neighbor (they lightly tap sweet children as they are) and cry out ‘Punch Buggy, No Punching Back!’.
July 21
Happy Birthday to me and Happy Birthday to Liz! We met up at a Hawaiian Festival in Lawndale, had a few snacks, and Shave Ice for our Happy Birthday Song and Make-A-Wish Candle.
The girls got stamped tattoos from this guy who was making each stamp an art project.
Here’s Lilly admiring his efforts.
We watched a little hula, the kids played a fairground game (and won a prize!), and we strolled a short time looking at all the Aloha items for sale.
I wore my dress from Hilo Hatties and anyone who has ever been to Hawaii would recognize it.
July 19
Richard and I spent some time finding a place for a very small reunion party in September. Oh it is going to be fun!
July 20
I went to the movies with Marsha and then stopped by to see her (cutest smartest happiest sweetest so advanced for his age) Grandboy Jordan.
Mama Jenn, Papa John, Grandma, and the center of the known world, Sir Jordan himself.
Then Marsha and Tom made me the dinner I always want when I go there and is always perfect: bbq meat. Yes there are other items on the menu but it’s the scrumptious bbq meat that makes it dinner at Marsha and Tom’s.
And the Jack Daniels. They never forget to invite Jack.
Speaking of eating out .. Boban and I went to Plan Check on Sawtelle and ate a feast of grease of every description. They even fry their fries in beef tallow, and their onions in schmaltz. And those churros. Fried so crispy, salty and sweet oh yum.
internet pix
July 18
As well as going for long walks and eating out with friends, I’ve been working on my next trip – comin’ right up, time flying and all that.
July 16
Lilly and I took Rome to her Art Camp today. These are her camp pals and the teacher.
It’s a three hour program and while Rome was having fun here…
…Lilly and I walked to a park near the art studio where we played and had a ton of fun and also next door to the park…
…is a library! We found a quiet corner away from all the tables and we proceeded to read about 20 books.
DAK&L are growing several tomato plants and wow-eee are these tomatoes fresh and delicious right off the vine. When we got home from our adventures the girls went out to pick the harvest for tonight’s dinner!
July 15
IngaLill and Tony just got back from their week of hiking in the Canadian Rockies. They totally loved everything about it and took some fabulous photos of nature.
This is a fabulous photo of nature, shot by IngaLill out the window of the car as they were passing through Calgary, just for me she said.
July 14
Muriel! Nancy (who took this picture) was staying with Muriel and in the morning we had a yum-yum-yummy brunch in Muriel’s back garden.
nd.
Those are the hydrangeas from my plant that is now taller than I am and wider than I am tall completely covered in blooms.
Nancy and Sharon and I then went to see 20 Feet from Stardom which was so much fun to see and to hum along, and then I ate Again. And it was Good.
…and then Santa Barbara Nancy came by this afternoon for a nice visit and an early dinner, a stroll around the park (where there are too too many ducks gunking up the lake)…
…and then we headed west and didn’t stop walking until we reached the sea.
And then we walked back. Good for us!
July 12
Susie took me out for my birthday. We spent the day at LACMA and had a fantastic time.
If you can help it don’t miss the James Turrell show. It’s huge. I didn’t take any pictures (obedient museum goer that I am and anyway there are guards in every room) but had I, it would have been this one (which some less obedient and more cunning museum goer put on the internet).
From LACMA’s website:
“As part of the Getty’s initiative, Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A., LACMA features The Presence of the Past: Peter Zumthor Reconsiders LACMA, an exhibition about the proposed future of the museum’s campus.
“Swiss architect Peter Zumthor has been commissioned to rethink the east campus, providing new insight into the meaning and function of an encyclopedic museum and the relationship of architecture to its site.”
Then we unexpectedly happened upon a delightful exhibit of Matisse’s cutouts and some work based on the cutouts.
This is from the Jass series and my new favorite figure. I always liked the other one, the one with the heart, but now I’m toying with the idea of using this way cool dancer in place of my flying pig.
Levitated Mass. I like it just as much as always, which is a lot.
Thank you Susie!
July 11
The last time I got the car washed at a new place because I was in the neighborhood with some free time. They did such a good job that today I drove 15 minutes out of my way to go back there. You can guess, closed.
So I found another one nearby with an irresistible dinosaur theme and the car looked pretty good too.
July 9
My first Tuesday with the kids in over a month and we had a fab time but I took not a picture.
These I grabbed off Angela’s facebook since they’re all so cute. St Patrick’s Day: Finley, Avery, Rome, Nora, Anya, Lila, Lilly. At the beach: Finn, Rome, Lilly, Meloney, Sophie, Lillian, Chloe
July 8
Monday Night! We haven’t had a picture in ages but we’re all in attendance and everyone agreed, so here we are!
From the back: Marsha, Becky, Lourdes, Ann, Ljubica; Marija, Alicia, Maryanne, me, Maxine
jb.
June 3
It’s all settled, I’m not going to Iran in September. I wanted to go but the people who are helping Hilda with the visa arrangements said that since I’d been to Israel (not to mention my Jewish mother…) I would be denied a visa, and if not denied then once there, vulnerable for ‘trouble’.
So, no Iran for me and that makes Ireland/Scotland/Wales and a visit to my father’s father’s home village with my little sister more likely.
…to meet Nancy for a nice outing. Here she is tucked into the opening of the cool Richard Serra sculpture called “Torqued Ellipse”.
…where there were graduation festivities and photo-ops all around campus…
At the Fowler they were having a dance program with arts and crafts in support of one of the exhibits, Resplendent Dress from Southeastern Europe.
June 1
The Venice Browns joined with the Hawaii Browns to go to Arkansas to watch Caleb compete in a speech tournament. They then took some time to visit friends, go sightseeing, and enjoy themselves entirely.
The speech tournament is put on by Stoa “a national High School and Junior High Speech and Debate organization serving the needs of Christian Homeschooling families. Stoa offers a National Invitational Tournament of Champions, inviting students from across the United States to perform, speak and debate.”
hb.
Cheryl was in town so oh goodie we all got together for dinner at The Sherman Room.
This picture looks just like The Sherman Room, from the ’60s, folks drinking Manhattans in the red leatherette banquettes before they order their steak and baked potato. They have a small bowl of iceberg lettuce for a salad, and except for the mushrooms in butter for your steak don’t ask for vegetables. They don’t have any.
May 29
From another day, this group of adorableness, we all walking home together. It’s so cool that we can walk home from school and that the neighborhood is full of sweet girls.
Rome, Jessie, Finley, Lilly, Sophia, Avery
I had lunch with Charlene and Burt and Burt took this picture with my camera. My teeth are Weird.
Recently I had lunch with Hilda and Merlyn, and I had lunch with Windy. Joining friends for lunch, so civilized.
May 28
Liberty Town U.S.A., Rome’s classroom getting ready for Open House. It’s not quite done yet in this picture – the road signs aren’t up and the people aren’t spread around…
Each student made one of the buildings. Rome’s is Mia’s Art Studio modeled after the art studio where she takes classes.
A story: Monday morning Lynn and I did a big ‘mountain’ climb at the ranch. We went at a slow and steady pace on a steep up-up-up for 45 minutes and then a short flat stroll and then a steep down-down-down. Here it is Wednesday night and my calves are still so sore I can hardly stand up from a sitting position. Ouch.
May 23
Driving north for this year’s visit to The Ranch I stopped off in Santa Barbara for a few hours with Nancy and Michi and then continued on to Paso Robles.
I had never spent any time in Paso so I thought it give it a stroll. The wineries here are building their reputations and as you’d expect restaurants and tourists follow. This is the town square/park. I liked this tree but that was about it for the park.
I was hoping the train station would be a nice California classic but it wasn’t so charming…
…and there were some nice buildings but you couldn’t enjoy them entirely because of all the cars.
There were plenty of shops, galleries, and restaurants though.
Despite the specialty around town of farm-to-table menus and flights of wine pairings, I was having a desire for Thai food and a beer. It was delicious!
I’d stay in Paso Robles again, to break the journey up or back from Northern Cal – it offers everything you need and some good food too.
May 24
From Paso Robles where I slept last night I drove to San Francisco to have a quick visit with our newly engaged couple(!) Roger and Sandy, wedding in the spring, honeymoon in the fall. Mazel Tov!
Sandy’s new branch sculpture and the new art piece she bought in a vintage store and had custom framed.
May 22
Look what I forgot from Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day Liz. I’m one lucky mother-in-law!
May 21
Lilly and I made candied kumquat rinds from the kumquats from Sharon’s tree. Yum!
Rome has been running an Art Club on Tuesday nights and sometimes on other nights too. She’s done it twice when I’ve been there and it is So Much Fun!
Both times she has designed a project for us to do. Tonight we made self-portraits and displayed them as you see here. It’s so delightful I’m just grinning the whole time. Rome made the plan, she passed out the materials, she encouraged and praised all efforts. I am already looking forward to my next chance to attend Art Club!
May 20
A few days ago I got my hair cut and took this picture in the bathroom mirror. Not too bad .. fingers crossed for the upcoming two months. If it stays good I can get the same person to do it again and that would be magic.
May 17
I’ve been home for more than a week now, yikes. I’ll be visiting up north for the long holiday weekend and then shortly after that it’s Aloha for a month. I need to clean my house!
A collection of not particularly good pictures of Big Old American Cars. The pictures aren’t so great but there are a lot of them and even more to come.
Five nights in The Cuban Countryside including Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Playa de Guanabo, and Viñales.
April 22
For my Bon Voyage, Petr Gandaloviè, the Czech ambassador to the US had to make some clarifications to the American Twitter-verse and wrote on the embassy’s website:
“…I am concerned to note in the social media a most unfortunate misunderstanding in this respect. The Czech Republic and Chechnya are two very different entities – the Czech Republic is a Central European country; Chechnya is a part of the Russian Federation.”
Here, let me google that for you.
April 21
Happy Birthday Steven! It’s your Medicare year. YAY.
I also went to the Proust readers group in the morning and had a Bon Voyage beverage with Sharon in the evening. And I leave tomorrow! My to-do list is down to half a page.
…walking with Marsha (who spent 2 hours on the 405 to come over the hill).
Also Windy came with me for errands, Nancy came over for dinner, I went to the doctor, I’ve been working down The List for my trip. Just life.
April 17
Due to one thing and another I’m a few days behind in pictures .. more coming though.
Ken, me, Bill
Rome arranged this picture. She chose the set, the costumes, and the pose. Good job Rome!
April 15
My old house on Donmetz, another color and different landscaping, but still recognizable.
I was over at Louise’s because she wanted all her friends to take a souvenir before she sells her house next door and moves to an assisted living near her daughter. Then I’ll have no reason to drive down Donmetz again. Good Bye Donmetz, you look good!
April 14
Great morning with IngaLill, our cameras, and a photo-outing to The Grand Park. Click on the link for the whole story.
Me and IngaLill, admiring ourselves and the fountain in the mirror of the Starbucks rest stop…
These pillars mark the entrances to the park and say ‘A Park for Everyone’ in all the languages that fit.
Thanks to Ken and Susie I got to see David Mamet’s American Buffalo at the Geffen. What a treat!
